Issues with your child waking too early?

Help, my child wakes up too early and is grumpy later in the day!

How can you keep your child from arising too early?  If your Preschool or School Age child wakes up before 5:00 AM here are some steps you can take to help you both sleep a little later!

Keep a consistent bedtime such as 8:00 PM. Consistent sleep schedules are very important.

Have a ‘calm down’ time before bed without TV or Videos.  Studies show that TV & Videos stimulates a child's brain, which will only keep them awake longer.  Instead use the time before bed as a special time where you can read with your child or listen to soft music.

Set an alarm to play soft music or nature sounds at an appropriate wake up time, such as 7:00 AM.

Tell your child to stay in bed with the light off until they hear the alarm. Instruct them that they may play quietly and read books in their bed but cannot leave unless they need to use the bathroom. 

Within a few weeks they should be able to retrain their bodies to stay asleep until their alarm goes off. Be patient, there are no quick fixes. It is normal to get upset when your child wakes you up too early. It will be challenging to shift their sleep schedule but stay consistent. If your child attempts to leave the room, send them back to bed.  Also, don’t forget about naps during the day; this will vary depending on your child, but here are some guidelines for both naps and nighttime sleep.